Wild Elephant attack destroys over 3,200 saplings in Belthangady Forest Department’s nursery
Belthangady: In a devastating incident, more than 3,200 saplings of various plant and tree species, including jackfruit, wild jack, bamboo, and a variety of bananas, meant for transplantation in forest areas, were destroyed in a wild elephant attack. The incident occurred at the Forest Department nursery in Kapu, Mundaje, Belthangady taluk.
The nursery, located a mere 20 km from the national highway, became the target of marauding elephants, with clear signs of their presence in the vicinity. Forest officers suspect that two elephants, one of which was a calf, were responsible for the destruction. These elephants are believed to be the same ones that caused havoc in Nerthane, Dharmasthala, a few days ago.
This is the second time that the Kapu nursery has fallen prey to wild elephant attacks, with a previous episode resulting in the destruction of thousands of saplings and equipment last year. The recent surge in wild elephant attacks in Belthangady taluk prompted a visit by the Sub-divisional Forest Officer to assess the situation.
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Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024: Whistleblower demands Rs 52 crore to tamper with evms for MP
Mumbai: With Maharashtra gearing up for elections on November 20, a self-proclaimed cyber expert, Syed Shuja, has once again raised allegations of EVM tampering. Shuja claims he can hack Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) using technology from the US Department of Defence, where he once worked as a contractor.
According to a report in India Today, Shuja disclosed his capabilities to a journalist posing as the PA of a Member of Parliament. He claimed access to 281 out of 288 constituencies and claimed he could manipulate EVM results in 63 seats if provided with VVPAT details.
Shuja stated that his method involves intercepting transmissions on polling day to replace the Election Commission’s file with one of his own. Despite EVMs being powered off, he claimed the transmissions would continue, enabling tampering. Shuja reportedly demanded $6 million (approximately Rs 52 crore) for his services.
This isn’t the first instance of Shuja making such claims. In 2019, he alleged EVM hacking during the 2014 elections that saw the BJP’s resounding victory. He also accused the BJP of orchestrating the killing of Gopinath Munde for knowing too much about EVM tampering.
The Election Commission has consistently denied allegations of EVM manipulation. Last month, the Commission dismissed claims of irregularities during the Haryana elections, describing the accusations as unfounded and warning against attempts to undermine electoral integrity.
As Maharashtra heads to polls amid these allegations, parties like Shiv Sena, NCP, BJP, and Congress vie for dominance in a politically fractured state.
